This invention relates to an improvement of a vanity case having a receptacle member and a cover member hinged with each other and arranged to be latched by snap engagement of a pair of elastic latch tongues.
In a known vanity case, such as a compact case, of the type set forth above, the latch tongues are integrally formed with the receptacle and cover members, respectively, by plastic molding. These elastic latch tongues have to be formed very precisely in dimensions. Because, if the engagement between both latch tongues is loose, the cover member of the vanity case will open accidentally. On the contrary, if the latch tongues are very fast engaged with each other, a relatively strong force will be required to open the cover member, thereby causing a trouble to a user. Accordingly, when the cover and receptacle members are formed by the molding, the utmost attention has been paid to the accuracy of the dimensions of the latch tongues. However, inferior vanity cases having defective dimensions in the latch tongues have been experienced inevitably at a relatively high percentage.
As an improvement of the defects set forth above, the present applicant has proposed to provide a slider element which releases the snap engagement between both latch tongues when it is pushed in the horizontal direction. This structure has remarkable advantages that the engagement as mentioned above can be released very easily with a small pushing force thereby making it possible to firmly engage the latch tongue with the other one without necessity of high dimensional accuracy as required in the conventional vanity case. However, since the slider element in the above proposed vanity case is loosely fitted in a cavity formed in the receptacle member or cover member, the slider element becomes shaky in the cavity after disengaging the cover member from the receptacle member. Such a shaky movement of the slider element deteriorates a high-grade image of the vanity case.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved vanity case which can open a cover member very easily by a slider element and which can ensure a prevention of a shaky movement of the slider element in a cavity formed in a receptacle member or a cover member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vanity case of the type set forth above which can be assembled without any additional process to the above proposed case and which has a high-reliability in operation.